In January, the Senate passed a bill for the last time, which aims to grant Filipino citizenship to Chinese citizen Li Duan Wang, who is believed to be associated with Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).
At the plenary session of the Senate, House Bill No. 8839 was passed with 19 votes in favor, 1 against, and 0 abstentions.
Only Senate Minority Deputy Leader Risa Hontiveros voted against the measure, emphasizing that she could not vote to grant Filipino citizenship to Li Duan Wang out of conscience.
Hontiveros called on her colleagues to reject the bill, as Li Duan Wang was an "intermediary" for Jiuchao Casino, one of the largest offshore gaming operators disclosed at an earlier hearing of the Senate Women's Group.
Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros stated on March 19 that Chinese citizen Li Duan Wang was one of the founders of the largest offshore gaming service provider in the Philippines, which closed in 2019. Currently, Wang's application for naturalization has been submitted to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for approval.
At a Senate hearing on the case of former Mayor Alice Guo of Darrabanban City, Hontiveros opposed granting Filipino citizenship to Li Duan Wang. She pointed out that Wang was one of the founders of New Oriental Club 88, a company that was shut down in 2019 for alleged illegal operations. Nevertheless, Hontiveros stated that the company amended its articles of incorporation in 2020 to continue operating as a "special category of BPO" (Business Process Outsourcing) and revised its articles again in 2024 to extend its duration.
Hontiveros emphasized: "Li Duan Wang and his company have always tried to change their identity to evade regulation, and we will not turn a blind eye to this." Winston Casio, director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), confirmed that Wang was indeed associated with POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators).
Furthermore, Hontiveros mentioned that on the evening of March 18, the Bureau of Immigration found Wang in a building suspected of fraud. Joel Villado, the director of the Bureau of Immigration, confirmed this, but stated that Wang was not in the raided office.
Villado added: "According to the information we have, he was in the building at the time but did not enter the searched office." When asked why Wang was in the building, Villado stated that the Bureau of Immigration had not conducted an in-depth investigation and could not confirm his specific connection with the investigated company.
In January, the Philippine House of Representatives passed Bill No. 8839 by an overwhelming majority, granting Filipino citizenship to Li Duan Wang. Due to Wang's historical connection with the POGO industry, Hontiveros questioned the bill, suggesting that he might still be involved in illegal gambling activities and could even pose a threat to national security.
Currently, the bill has been submitted to President Marcos, and the final decision will be approved or vetoed by the president. Hontiveros called on the government to handle this case cautiously to avoid potential legal and economic risks in the future.
